The Top 5 Productivity Tools Business Coaches Should Use—with a VA Who Actually Knows How

Look, you didn’t start a coaching business to spend your days buried in calendar links, Slack notifications, or wondering why your Google Doc disappeared into the void. You’re here to coach, inspire, and maybe sip green juice on a yacht while your systems run themselves (or at least pretend like they do).

But if your idea of “productivity tools” is still Post-it notes and the occasional panicked email to yourself, then friend—it’s time for an upgrade. Even the most badass coach needs help managing their empire. And the secret sauce? Not just the best productivity tools for business coaches—but having a VA who actually knows how to use them.

Let’s unpack it all: the must-have tools, the delegation game-changers, and how to avoid becoming the CEO of Chaos.

Why You Need Tools (and a VA Who Can Use Them)

Repeat after me: You are not a productivity app.

You are not Trello. You are not Slack. You are not a magical calendar fairy who remembers everything and types faster than light. You are a coach. Which means you have better things to do—like changing lives, not figuring out why your Zoom link went AWOL again.

Tools are the digital minions of your business. But guess what? Tools only work if someone actually uses them. And let’s be real: that someone should not always be you. That’s what a VA is for. Think of your VA as the Gandalf to your Frodo—guiding, supporting, and keeping the backend from burning down.

Without tools, your coaching business is a hot mess. Without a VA, it’s a hot mess you’re stuck managing. You need both.

Choosing the Right Tools Without Losing Your Mind

Here’s the truth: there are approximately 47 bazillion productivity tools out there. Some are amazing. Some are overpriced chaos machines. And some look cute until you realize they require a PhD in UX design.

Choosing the right ones is about simplicity, compatibility, and delegation potential. In other words, will it make your life easier, work well with your VA, and stop you from threatening to throw your laptop out the window? If yes—keep it.

Tool #1: ClickUp – Because Post-It Notes Are Not a Scalable System

You know what’s not scalable? A pile of sticky notes, a half-finished whiteboard, and 17 to-do lists scattered across three apps and your fridge.

ClickUp is the all-in-one project management tool that’s basically your business brain in digital form.

Key Features Coaches Love

• Customizable dashboards
• Task lists with deadlines (so things actually get done)
• Docs, goals, and mind maps (for the visionaries among us)
• Templates to save time and brainpower

Tasks Your VA Can Handle With ClickUp

Your VA can turn ClickUp into a finely tuned productivity machine. They’ll manage your content calendar, assign tasks, tag you for approvals, and track client onboarding—all without you lifting a finger (or opening 12 tabs).

Imagine logging in to see everything done. Wild, right?

Tool #2: Slack – Stop the Email Madness, Start Real Conversations

Ah, email. The ancient relic that refuses to die. But in today’s coaching world, real-time communication is where it’s at. Enter: Slack.

How Slack Streamlines Communication with Teams and Clients

Slack lets you ditch the 47-email threads and chat in channels organized by topic, client, or mood (yes, “#random” is valid).

Use it to:

• Communicate with your VA in real time
• Create channels for launches, content, or client projects
• Drop voice notes when typing feels like too much (we see you, end-of-day brain fog)

Slack Tips for Coaches Who Like Clarity (and Sanity)

Set notification boundaries, use GIFs responsibly, and integrate with tools like Google Drive and ClickUp so your entire life lives in one place. Bonus: Slack makes you look way more pro than texting your VA at 10 p.m. (don’t do that).

Tool #3: Loom – Show, Don’t Tell (Because Long Emails Are So 2005)

Ever tried explaining something via email and ended up writing a novel with screenshots, arrows, and an apology at the end? Yeah, don’t.

Loom lets you record quick videos to explain processes, give feedback, or train your VA—without the rambling or 97 typos.

Using Loom for Client Updates, Training, and SOPs

Record:

• A welcome video for new clients
• A quick “here’s how to upload a podcast” SOP
• Feedback on a social post without typing it all out

How Your VA Can Save Hours by Using Loom

Your VA can use Loom too! They can record updates, show you backend changes, or walk you through questions without sending a mile-long email. Productivity? Skyrocketed. Confusion? Eliminated.

Tool #4: Google Workspace – The OG That Still Slaps

Google Workspace may not be sexy, but it’s the Beyoncé of productivity: consistent, reliable, and iconic.

Google Docs, Sheets, and Drive for the Win

Create:

• Client contracts in Docs
• Revenue tracking in Sheets
• SOP libraries in Drive

No fancy bells and whistles—just tools that work.

Collaboration Between You and Your VA in Real Time

Your VA can edit your docs, organize your Drive (because let’s be honest, it’s a mess), and keep everything in one place. No more “Where is that file?” existential crises. Just smooth, searchable bliss.

Tool #5: Calendly – Stop the “What Time Works for You?” Loop Forever

The back-and-forth “Are you free Tuesday?” emails should be illegal at this point. Calendly puts your availability on autopilot and lets clients book themselves—no awkward email tag required.

Booking Made Easy for Coaches and Clients

• Syncs with your Google or Outlook calendar
• Lets clients pick a time that works
• Sends reminders so they actually show up (bless)

How Your VA Can Optimize Your Calendly Like a Pro

Your VA can:

• Set your availability windows
• Automate confirmation emails
• Add intake questions
• Cancel/reschedule clients without drama

It’s like having a virtual receptionist—minus the weird hold music.

Integrating These Tools Into Your Coaching Workflow

Having the best productivity tools for business coaches is adorable—until you realize they’re all sitting in separate corners like awkward kids at a middle school dance. Integration is how you turn them into a smooth-operating, process-loving, results-producing dream team.

Creating a Seamless Backend System

Your goal isn’t to collect tools like Pokémon. It’s to create a flow that works for you, not against you. ClickUp should talk to Google Drive. Slack should notify you of Loom videos. Calendly should trigger an onboarding email. This is the digital version of your systems holding hands and singing kumbaya.

Your VA can connect all these tools using integrations (like Zapier) so everything moves automatically. Yes, that means your clients can book a call, get a custom email, be added to a workflow, and receive a welcome video—all without you touching a thing. Welcome to the future.

How to Onboard Your VA with the Right Tools

Don’t just throw tools at your VA and hope they magically “get it.” Start with a walkthrough. Record Loom videos explaining how you use each tool. Then let them show you how they’ll streamline it even better. This isn’t micromanagement—it’s onboarding with brains.

Give them logins, create a shared password vault (LastPass or 1Password), and make it part of your SOPs. Once trained, your VA will take those tools and run your backend like the productivity wizard they are.

The VA Factor: Why Great Tools Are Useless Without Great People

Let’s be real: tools don’t run businesses. People do. Specifically, people who aren’t you, running tasks you shouldn’t be doing.

Even the best productivity tools for business coaches are just shiny objects without someone smart (read: your VA) behind the scenes making them dance. ClickUp won’t organize itself. Loom won’t record itself. Slack won’t reply to your 87 unread messages. That’s VA territory.

Hiring a VA who already knows these tools—or is hungry to learn them—is the difference between having tools and having systems. One looks pretty. The other prints money.

Best Practices for Delegating Tech to Your VA

Ready to hand off the digital reins without hyperventilating? Good. Let’s delegate like a grown-up.

Letting Go of the Control Freak Within

Look, we get it. You’ve built this empire brick by (slightly chaotic) brick. Letting someone else inside your systems feels like inviting them to rearrange your underwear drawer.

But trust is the price of freedom. Start small. Let your VA take over Calendly first. Then Slack messages. Then ClickUp tasks. Before you know it, you’ll be sipping oat milk lattes while your business runs itself (okay, mostly).

Creating Clear SOPs and Feedback Loops

Systems don’t fail—communication does. Set your VA up for success with clear Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). Not a 200-page manual—just Google Docs, Looms, and task templates that say: “Here’s how we do things.”

Then, create feedback loops. Weekly check-ins. Slack updates. Task reviews in ClickUp. That way, if something’s off, it gets fixed before your client notices and sends you a “just checking in” email (aka: code red).

The ROI of Using Tools + VAs Together

What’s the return on all this VA-powered, tool-tweaking brilliance? Oh, just your time, money, peace of mind, and sanity.

Think about it:

• Tasks that used to take you five hours now take your VA one.
• Clients get onboarded faster and smoother.
• Marketing gets done without you doing it.
• Your calendar opens up.
• And suddenly, scaling doesn’t feel like a fever dream.

You didn’t hire a VA and get fancy tools for fun—you did it to reclaim your genius. And your couch naps. Priorities.

Common Mistakes Coaches Make With Productivity Tools

Let’s roast a few classic coaching missteps. (With love. And maybe an eye roll.)

1. Buying All the Tools, Using None of Them
If you’re paying for seven platforms and logging into… one, we need to talk.

2. Doing It All Yourself “Just to Be Sure”
No one wins here—except your therapist, who gets paid to listen to your burnout rants.

3. Not Training Their VA Properly
Your VA isn’t psychic. They can’t read your cluttered ClickUp board and guess what you meant by “Fix this ASAP!!!”

4. Refusing to Let Go
You can’t scale if your motto is “It’s faster if I just do it.” Spoiler: It’s not.

5. Thinking More Tools = More Productivity
Nope. It just equals more logins and more chances to forget your password.

FAQs About the Best Productivity Tools for Business Coaches

1. What’s the #1 must-have productivity tool for business coaches?
ClickUp or Asana wins for managing your life (and team) in one place. But if you hate both, try Trello. Just pick one and actually use it.

2. Can I use these tools without a VA?
Sure, if you enjoy juggling flaming swords. Tools help, but pairing them with a VA is where the real magic happens.

3. What’s the best tool for communicating with my VA?
Slack for real-time chats. Voxer for voice. Loom for explaining things without writing a novel.

4. Do I need all five tools?
Not immediately. Start with what solves your biggest pain point. Add more as your VA or chaos level increases.

5. How much time will I save by using these tools with a VA?
Honestly? Hours per day. That’s time you can use to coach, scale, or finally finish that Netflix series.

6. What’s the most underrated tool on this list?
Loom. If you hate meetings and emails but love clear communication, Loom will be your new BFF.

Your Tools Are Only as Smart as the VA Using Them

Listen: you can collect every tool, watch every tutorial, and still feel like your business is being held together by duct tape and prayer. The tools alone aren’t the secret. The VA who uses them with purpose? That’s the unlock.

If you’re serious about growth, stop clutching every task like it’s your baby and start delegating like the CEO you are. Hire a VA. Use the best productivity tools for business coaches. Watch your calendar (and cortisol levels) clear up.

And if you’re still on the fence? Just imagine this: waking up to your ClickUp dashboard already updated, your emails already answered, your schedule booked—and all you had to do was exist. Yeah. That.

Stop Micromanaging, Start Delegating

If reading this made you realize your business is one Slack channel away from a meltdown, take the hint. Share this with a fellow overworked coach, hire that VA you’ve been stalking on LinkedIn, and finally let go of the chaos.

Or don’t. But if we see you still sending “What time works for you?” emails next week, we will judge.